Coronavirus symptoms are scary. But is this pandemic all bad?

Not all of us can win from a US Powerball jackpot and buy our own island to avoid the Coronavirus symptoms that are rapidly spreading from person to person.

The Covid-19 pandemic has nowhere near run its course, and with the mounting death toll and economic meltdowns constantly in the news, it’s going to be hard to keep panic in check as things get worse.

But that doesn’t mean some good can’t come from this disaster. There are a lot of lessons that Covid-19 can teach us, lessons that will help us build a more resilient society if we choose to pay attention to them.

While it’s important that we all have up to date information on this Coronavirus, the never-ending bad news cycle can also be draining and depressing. It makes sense to dwell on the upsides of this event, not only for the sake of our sanity, but it will help us make the most of the opportunities it presents. Here are some positives to come out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The work from home revolution has begun

Right now there are empty offices all over the world as workers self-isolate at home. Not only those showing symptoms of Covid-19 are affected; in most cases the people in isolation are fit and able to work. People have been working at home for years, but it’s still an exception rather than the rule for a lot of companies. There’s been some resistance from businesses to people working from home, but now that it’s being forced upon us, this pandemic is a real opportunity to see how workplaces can cope with staff not physically being in the office.

This could open the door for more people staying home, more often. This has tonnes of benefits; less traffic on the roads, no commuting times, no parking or transport costs and less need for childcare. If a child is sick, workers could stay home with them and work, instead of wasting a day off.

The choice, flexibility and potential cost savings that working from home offers businesses and workers are great reasons to keep it going in some capacity once the Coronavirus crisis ends.

Everyone wins from good personal hygiene

Everybody's seen someone use a bathroom and not wash their hands. A lot of people don't seem to think they need to spend the suggested 20-30 seconds making sure they're protecting themselves and others. Not only will hand washing help during the Coronavirus pandemic, but with winter approaching it'll also help us prevent the spread of the common cold, influenza and any number of other avoidable sicknesses.

With the importance of good hygiene in the news at the moment, hopefully some people with less than desirable habits change their ways for good, and not just for the duration of this pandemic.

Vaccines are essential

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the influenza vaccine prevents millions of infections and thousands of deaths each year, in the USA alone. This is one example of how vaccines are a powerful tool in the fight against contagious infections. The Coronavirus outbreak is allowing us to see what happens when no vaccine is available and a disease is able to spread unchecked. What will happen when a Covid-19 vaccine is eventually developed? Hopefully the serious symptoms and prolific spread will be enough to convince anti-vaxxers and indifferent members of the public into getting their jabs. Will they be willing to risk their health and that of their families by not getting immunised? Perhaps if they're willing to make an allowance for the Coronavirus vaccine, it may open the door for them to consider other vaccines, too.

If the population at large get vaccinated, follow medical advice and self-isolate where appropriate, there are no reasons why this disease can’t eventually be brought under control.

Over-reliance on other economies has been exposed

When it comes to economies, putting all your eggs in one basket can be asking for trouble. Take Australia for example. It's more dependent on China that any other country in the world. When Covid-19 hit China's Wuhan province, Australia took measures to limit cases being brought into the country. A ban was placed on inbound flights from China, meaning no Chinese tourists and no Chinese students, both of which make huge contributions to Australia's economy. Exports to China have also been affected, with goods stuck in Chinese ports. These two problems are contributing to the economic strife in Australia, but calls to take action in the past to lessen our reliance on China have fallen on deaf ears. Now the impact of this reliance is clear and Australia needs to make decisions about the future direction of its economy. It has the opportunity to reconfigure it so that it can better withstand strong headwinds in future.

We can't take anything for granted

If the Covid-19 public health crisis has taught us one thing, it's that a peaceful society is only ever one disaster away from panic and unrest. Any number of events have the potential to unravel the fabric of civilisation; natural disasters, war, terrorism, economic collapse or even a different respiratory illness, similar to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

The Coronavirus should be a wake-up call to us all, reminding us that nothing is forever and anything can happen. What better reason to live your best life, in the moment! Enjoy the company of your family and friends as much as you can. Enjoy all the experiences life can offer, because tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us.

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